For quick stye relief, Heiting recommends using a warm compress. The ideal temperature: 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit applied to your eye for eight to 10 minutes. Since you probably aren't going to be whipping out your thermometer for an exact reading, he says to soak a washcloth in hot water that's comfortable to the touch.
(Note: Don't be tempted to heat up the washcloth in the microwave -- you run the risk of making it too hot and burning your eyelid. A stye and a burnt eyelid? Seriously not fun.)
Wring out the washcloth and apply it to your eye. As it cools (about every two minutes) reheat it in equally hot water until you've spent 10 minutes with the compress on your eye. Repeat at least four times a day. These compresses help the stye open and drain -- a gross but necessary thing to happen to get relief from the pain.
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How to Get Rid of a Stye: OTC Options
If you read the previous slide and thought to yourself, "ain't nobody got time for that," there are also over-the-counter options available that work similarly to warm compresses. Bausch + Lomb TheraPearl Eye Mask, $9.99, can simply be tossed in the microwave, then applied to closed eyelids without the need to reheat. The warmth helps soothe -- and eventually pop open -- styes. (And don't worry: It won't get too hot.)
In a pinch, Heiting says to dilute baby shampoo with water and use it to cleanse your eyes, but the OTC options are more effective.
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How to Get Rid of a Stye: What Not to Do
Get ready to feel a little nauseous (I certainly do). Since OTC options help the stye open, you may feel the urge in a moment of sheer desperation to speed up the process by "popping" (BRB gagging) the style yourself. Do not, under any circumstances, do this gross, terrible thing.
You may, however, lightly massage your eyelid (if you can stand the pain) to help the style open, says Heiting.
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How to Get Rid of a Stye: When to See a Doctor
If your stye lasts longer than a week or two, or if you develop more than one stye, you should see your doctor, says Heiting. A doctor can prescribe antibacterial eye drops or ointments and -- if necessary -- oral antibiotics. If you've got a stye that rivals the size of your worst pimple ever or is superpainful, Heiting says your doctor may make a tiny incision near the stye to drain it. In case it wasn't obvious, do not try that at home.
